August 17, 2023

GOP Strategist: A Word to DeSantis

August 17, 2023 Buck Banks

“There is no good way for DeSantis to attack Trump about Jan. 6 or anything else. There is no point in chaining a goat to a stake in front of a T. Rex, then asking the goat to assault the T. Rex. It has not worked out well for other goats, many stronger and smarter than this one… So, no, I would not advise the candidate who lost to the Mouseketeers to attack the T. Rex.”

— GOP strategist Alex Castellanos, quoted by Slate, giving advice to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Smells Like DeSantis

August 17, 2023 Buck Banks

By now you probably have heard,
In New Hampshire Ron DeSantis is third.
In the current list he
Trails Chris Christie,
As his campaign circles the bowl — like a turd.

DeSantis Drops to Third Place in New Hampshire

August 17, 2023August 17, 2023 Buck Banks

3rd

A new Emerson College poll in New Hampshire finds Donald Trump leading the Republican primary with 49%, followed by Chris Christie at 9%, Ron DeSantis at 8%, Tim Scott at 6%, Doug Bergum at 4%, Nikki Haley at 4% and Vivek Ramaswamy at 3%.

Trump Charges Total 91 (and Counting?)

August 17, 2023 Buck Banks

91

Donald Trump is now facing 91 criminal charges in 4 criminal cases, CNN reports. Trump currently has five trials scheduled between now and May, with more trial dates to be determined.

Maybe It’s Because Trump’s a Criminal

August 17, 2023 Buck Banks

“Maybe, just maybe, the reason Trump keeps getting indicted for crimes is not that the criminal justice system is in the grips of a vast liberal conspiracy but that he is, in fact, a criminal?”

— Jonathan Chait

Russian Ruble Now Worth Less than a Penny

August 17, 2023 Buck Banks

>1¢

“The ruble hit a 17-month low against the dollar Monday, highlighting the growing squeeze on Russia’s economy from Western sanctions and a slump in export revenues,” CNN reports.

Clinton Saddened By Trump’s Indictments

August 17, 2023 Buck Banks

“I don’t feel any satisfaction. I feel great, profound sadness that we have a former president who’s been indicted on so many charges ….”

— Hillary Clinton, on MSNBC.

DeSantis Campaign Buys Off Iowa Religious Leader for $95,000

August 17, 2023 Buck Banks

$95,000

“The DeSantis campaign, a super PAC linked to him and a nonprofit group supporting him together paid $95,000 in recent months to the Family Leader Foundation, an Iowa-based nonprofit led by evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats,” Reuters reports.

Hurd Dishes on The Donald

August 17, 2023 Buck Banks

“Donald Trump is a liar. Donald Trump is a loser. And Donald Trump is a national security threat to the United States of America. And we need to be honest about that. And if we nominate him, if the GOP nominates him, then we’re giving Joe Biden and Kamala Harris four more years.”

— Former Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX), quoted by The Hill.

Floridians Paying Millions to Protect DeSantis Family During Campaign

August 17, 2023 Buck Banks

$13 million

Florida taxpayers have spent more than $13 million on travel and protective security for Gov. Ron DeSantis in the two years he has prepared and run a campaign to become the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, according to state records released this week, reports the Tampa Bay Times.

— GOP strategist Alex Castellanos, quoted by Slate, giving advice to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

3rd

A new Emerson College poll in New Hampshire finds Donald Trump leading the Republican primary with 49%, followed by Chris Christie at 9%, Ron DeSantis at 8%, Tim Scott at 6%, Doug Bergum at 4%, Nikki Haley at 4% and Vivek Ramaswamy at 3%.

91

Donald Trump is now facing 91 criminal charges in 4 criminal cases, CNN reports. Trump currently has five trials scheduled between now and May, with more trial dates to be determined.

“Maybe, just maybe, the reason Trump keeps getting indicted for crimes is not that the criminal justice system is in the grips of a vast liberal conspiracy but that he is, in fact, a criminal?”

— Jonathan Chait

>1¢

“The ruble hit a 17-month low against the dollar Monday, highlighting the growing squeeze on Russia’s economy from Western sanctions and a slump in export revenues,” CNN reports.

“I don’t feel any satisfaction. I feel great, profound sadness that we have a former president who’s been indicted on so many charges ….”

— Hillary Clinton, on MSNBC.

$95,000

“The DeSantis campaign, a super PAC linked to him and a nonprofit group supporting him together paid $95,000 in recent months to the Family Leader Foundation, an Iowa-based nonprofit led by evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats,” Reuters reports.

“Donald Trump is a liar. Donald Trump is a loser. And Donald Trump is a national security threat to the United States of America. And we need to be honest about that. And if we nominate him, if the GOP nominates him, then we’re giving Joe Biden and Kamala Harris four more years.”

— Former Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX), quoted by The Hill.

$13 million

Florida taxpayers have spent more than $13 million on travel and protective security for Gov. Ron DeSantis in the two years he has prepared and run a campaign to become the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, according to state records released this week, reports the Tampa Bay Times.

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

“This is the biggest deployment of my life, and there won’t be a drop of alcohol on my lips while I’m doing it.”

— Pete Hegseth, pledging to Megan Kelly to not drink alcohol while serving as defense secretary.

“The damage that the 2024 campaign has done — the damage that this decade has done to a Democratic brand — is almost unfathomable.”

— James Carville, quoted by USA Today.

“As President-elect Donald Trump fills out his Cabinet and chooses his closet advisers ahead of Inauguration Day, many African American leaders are asking why more Black people haven’t been appointed to key positions.”

— ABC News

“If you defended the 34x felon, who committed sexual assault, stole national security documents, and tried running a coup on his country… you can sit out the Hunter Biden pardon discussion.”

— Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), on X.

— Benjamin Wittes</h2> Comment »

Numerati

$9 billion

$500,000 to $2,000,000

“If you want to rub elbows with President-elect Donald Trump and his incoming administration during inaugural celebrations, it’ll cost you — between half a million and $2 million, specifically,” USA Today reports.

227,000

$250 million

$30 million

— Benjamin Wittes</h2>

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